Midnight Rider
by hitchhikerfirefly
Summary: Dean ponders on his life while at a bar. Rated T just in case.


**Midnight Rider**

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters. I wouldn't mind owning Dean's Impala, though. (The Winchesters included.) Thanks to StaroftheDunedain for being such a great beta. Also, if you get a chance, go read StaroftheDunedain's Rose Winchester chronicles. Their awesome.

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This bar feels like home to me. Quiet, yet not too quiet; dark, but not too much where I'm having trouble reading the menu. I don't need to read the menu though because I already know what I want: a beer, or two, and a big, juicy bacon cheeseburger. My mouth's watering just thinking about it.

I like this bar. It's got character. Everything in here is old; including the bartender but it's not the worst bar that I've ever been in. I'm sitting in a booth on the side wall that has a good view of the whole place. There's a few people scattered across the room, nothing exciting. A few people are boozing it up at the bar, occasionally eating from the nuts bowl or asking for another round. Across from me, on the other wall, is a couple who are whispering to one another. Nice place to take a girl like that for a date, man.

Some kind of whinny country song is playing. I think it's that Reba chick. Not my type of music. I'm more of AC/DC or Led-Zeppelin fan. Really, I'm a fan of any kind of classic rock. Definitely not country.

I was just about to finish my first beer when the waitress came up and with a warm smile yet true smile asked, "Hey there, what can I get for you?"

"A bacon cheeseburger with fries and a beer, please. " I replied and returned the smile.

"Alright, I'll be right back with your beer," she said with her smile still on her face.

I like this girl. For one thing, she's not too bad looking. Hell, she's a babe. If I wasn't on such an important mission, then I would have tried to see when she gets off tonight by now.

Speaking of mission, why hasn't he answered my call yet? I told him it was important. Just because he's off getting an education to have a "better life" that doesn't mean that he shouldn't answer his brother's call every now and then. Especially when I told him it's about Dad.

Dad.

Where the hell is he?

Usually he doesn't take this long to get back to me. I don't normally worry this much about the old man but here lately he won't call me for days or just leaves with no explanation or where he's going.

Something's wrong, I can just feel it. That's why I need Sam's help.

"Here you go hun." The waitress said as she put my beer in front of me while she wore that same sweet smile.

"Thanks, ah, Katherine." I replied as I looked at her name embroidered on her shirt.

"Oh, my name is Sara. Katherine was the girl before me. She liked to sample the liquor during her shift. I was lucky to get her shirt."

"Sorry to hear that. For you having to wear Katherine's shirt, I mean."

Laughing lightly at my remark, Sara said, "Thanks-"

"Dean."

"Dean. Need anything else?"

"Nope. I'm good."

"OK, that burger will be right out soon." She said with that same smile.

"Thanks," I replied while returning the smile.

As I watch Sara walk away, which was very nice to watch, I notice the man with a fruity drink get up from the bar and head over to the jukebox.

Please, please let it not be any Elton John. I'm not in the mood.

After a few clumsy attempts, the man finally got a quarter in and pressed a couple buttons before he staggered back to his seat back at the bar where his colorful drink was waiting for him.

When Hank Williams, Jr. quit playing, there was a slight pause as the records changed then an unexpected song began to play: Midnight Rider.

Oh, hell yeah.

Now, this is music that I'm always in the mood for. Man, I love this song.

Part of the reason is that I like the Allman Brothers. Who doesn't?

Another reason is that I can relate to this song.

_Well, I've got to run to keep from hidin',  
>And I'm bound to keep on ridin'.<em>

Taking another swig at my beer, I leaned back in my seat and just listened.

With each lyric came another memory.

_But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no,_

_Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight Rider._

What, was this song written about me? I've lost count of all the times that I have left in the middle of the night to fight some unknown evil sonofabitch. And when I think of all the times that Dad and I have come close to not making it, well, I just don't think about it. And then there's that time that Sammy almost died when he was a baby…no, I'm not going to go back to that night. Hey, I've made it this far. And I'll keep fighting, no matter what. That's sort of a family motto for us Winchesters.

_And the road goes on forever._

Ain't that the truth. I can't remember what life was like before being on the road. It's always one job after another. Honestly, I don't mind the road. I got my baby for that. She may be old, but man can she run!

Sometimes I wonder how much longer I'll have to be a hunter. Will there ever be a day where there won't be any evil?

Yeah, when hell freezes over. And I don't see that happening any time soon.

I've learned at a _very _young age that there is always something evil lurking around, waiting for you to let your guard down.

When I was eight, I was watching Sam while Dad was out on a hunt. The moment Dad left us alone, with only a sawed off shotgun and silver knife at what looked like a broken down motel, I had this constant feeling that something wasn't right. I was used to Dad going off on hunts by now. Hell, sometimes he would leave for us a day or so and I was fine with that. But, this time, something was off. The flickering lights were my first clue.

Sam had just fallen asleep and I was getting ready for bed myself. I was brushing my teeth when the lights went off. Unlike most kids my age, I wasn't afraid of the dark. I went over to Sam's bed only to find him missing.

"Sammy!" I called out only to be answered by a whimpering cry from the corner of the room. There I saw Sam backing up into the wall as much as he possibly could from the dark figure that was stepping closer and closer to him.

From what I could tell it was the motel manager. Once I saw the shotgun under the bed and grabbed it, I said, "Hey! Get away from my brother!" With his attention now on me, Sam was able to run over to me where I was busy trying to figure out how to handle this situation. Because of the darkness of the room, except for the neon lights from outside shining through the window, I couldn't tell if the guy'/s eyes weren't right. Was he a demon? Or just possessed by a ghost? Should I shoot him or try to run for it with Sam? For an eight year old, this was a very hard decision to make.

Luckily, Dad barged into the room right in time before the manager tried to attack us. Turned out the manager was a demon who liked to steal souls while they were sleeping at his motel. Dad was testing a theory with us as bait.

Hey, we got pie out of it.

I was brought out of my reliving of the good ole' days by Sara's voice.

"Here you are, one bacon cheeseburger with fries." She said as she placed my meal in front of me along with a new beer.

"Oh, you're good." I told her.

"Thank you. Enjoy."

"I plan too, "

I watched walk away once again before I took a bite into my juicy burger with the Allman Brothers still playing in the background.

_And I've got past the point of caring,_

_Some old bed I'll be sharing_

I've never really thought about it until now, but I really have shared a bed with a lot of people. I mean, motels aren't as nice as hotels in the fact that someone comes and fluffs your pillow while you're not in your room. Most of the time you're lucky if the bed doesn't have some unknown stain on it. So, in a way, I've been sharing a bed with whoever was in it before me.

I really wish I didn't start thinking about that.

I've been to so many motels in my life that it never really occurred to me. I guess the only person that I've really thought about sharing the bed with is a pretty girl, like Sara. Or when we were kids, Sam but even then sometimes one of us would end up on the couch. Sometimes the floor has looked more promising than the bed but I've never really mined. Sleep is sleep.

Sleep.

I haven't had that in a while. I've been too busy trying to find Dad and get a hold of Sam to worry about sleep. I think that's why I stopped at this motel/bar. I figured I was hungry so I should eat and I might as well get some shut eye afterwards.

But first, pie.

As if she knew that I wanted something else, Sara came back over.

"Need anything else?"

"Do you have any pie?"

"Sorry, we're fresh out."

Damn. No pie?

"Oh well, I'll take my check then."

"OK," Sara said then walked away once again.

_No, I'm gonna let 'em catch me, no_

_Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight Rider. _

Yeah, I can relate to the Midnight Rider. Never staying in one place for too long.

That's just how my life goes.

But I don't mind. In fact, I love the road.

"Here, you go, Dean." Sara said as she handed me the check which also had her number on it.

I couldn't help but smile.

"So, what time do you get off Sara?" I asked.

"As soon as I get finished ringing you up." She replied with that sweet smile.

"Care to join me somewhere else?"

"Sure. Give me a couple of minutes?"

"I can do that." I said as I handed her some cash.

As I watched her head off to the register I thought how I was going to more than sleep tonight.

Once Sara finished up I walked with her out the door as the last lines of the song was playing. I couldn't help be sing along under my breath.

"No, I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no. Not gonna let 'em catch the Midnight rider."

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AN: Sorry if this totally sucked but I couldn't help but write this. I was listening to this fantastic song and I thought that this really did sound like Dean. Don't agree? I'm OK with that.

Also, I love Elton John, and I'm sure Dean doesn't mind Elton, either. I mean, let's be real, what's not to love about Elton? I'm pretty sure everyone likes at least one of his songs.

Please review!


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